Rachel  Reflex
by what is needed
Summary: Rachel, Lauren, Santana and Quinn end up sharing a tent during a New Directions field trip. Lauren tells the real reason as to why she broke up with Puck. It could spell Puckleberry, if you want.


**AN: long time, no update. Sorry, but I've been busy. I know that is no excuse, but hopefully this helps with the pain.**

**My house is hosting a foreign exchange student. I caught pneumonia. Exams. I've picked up extra shifts at work. Ect, ect, ect.**

**Anyways, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer. Done.**

Okay, so it was terribly awkward.

Not as awkward as it could have been, but still trudged near it.

The fact that they were all so different was mind-boggling. The fact that they could be civil to each other after all that they had been through was mind-blowing.

The only thing that they had in common, besides New Directions, was Noah Puckerman. They had each taken their time to be in a relationship with the heartbreaker. The tent they shared now added a new thing they had in common, even though they felt they were being punished by it.

"Mr. Schue is on crack." Quinn Fabray fluffed her pillow, and she shook her head in disbelief. "That's the only excuse for this godforsaken trip."

In the middle of nowhere, the New Directions found themselves camping as a year end treat as a gift from Figgins for doing so well at Nationals. In reality though, it was the only thing Figgins would fund for congratulating the losing glee club.

A round of laughter came from another tent. Obviously the other girls' tent. It could be clearly heard that Brittany was doing a duck impression.

"Ladies, I do believe that this was a great idea." Rachel Berry chided Quinn for being pessimistic. "The rewards and future applications we can use from this experience are vast. Team building, new friendships, respect-"

"There's no fucking electricity, Berry." Santana Lopez scowled as she held her dying phone is one hand and a hair straightener in the other. "So unless Schuester and Pillsbury stop doing each other long enough to realize that _I'm dying, _I'm ditching."

Lauren Zizes rolled her eyes, and open her side window a little. She finished the tent's group and hated each girl with a passion.

"Do you think I would honestly come unprepared, Santana?" Rachel gave a disapproving look towards the somewhat hysterical girl and unzipped her bright pink, star covered suitcase. Pulling out an already powered generator and turned it on. As the whirring sound filled the silent tent, Rachel smiled bashfully. "My fathers, when they're home, like to go camping. I needed a way to stay in touch with the world. We purchase the newest and best generator each year."

Santana looked so happy she could cry, Lauren had a dumbfounded look and Quinn looked a little skeptical.

"There are conditions though. We've got to be pleasant to each other. I won't be able to make it through the night if I know I'm trapped in a forest with three girls who despise me deeply. Its undeniably dangerous."

"Like, friends?" Lauren murmured quietly, and reached out to pet the whirring machine. "Temporary friends?"

"What happens in the tent, stays in the tent." Rachel nodded truthfully. Reaching into her suitcase again, she gave a small giggle. At the bottom, under her delicates, was a dozen wine coolers. "And if we happen to have fun, well, I wouldn't complain."

"I agree with those conditions!" Santana couldn't hold herself back any longer. In one smooth motion she plugged in her charger and straightener, while grabbing a wine cooler. "We can now be best fucking friends, Berry."

Quinn was mute as shifted to grab a drink.

"I think we can make this work." Lauren applauded lightly, and popped open her cooler, while leaning back. "What do we do at these shindigs?"

"Sleepovers?" Quinn asked curiously, as Rachel plugged in her iPod dock. She searched for a song they would all agree on, and sunk into her sleeping bag's covers. When Lauren nodded, Quinn took charge in explaining the procedure. "Talking. When we were little, lots of games. Now, lots of different things happen."

"All those things guys think happen…?" Lauren raised an eyebrow at the three experienced girls, and shrugged as if to finish her question.

"Making out? Depends who you're with. Dancing? We dabble in the activity." Santana purred happily, as she texted. "Pillow fights? Most defiantly."

Rachel made a noise in the back of her throat. "I've never had a pillow fight with Mercedes and Kurt. They're too mature for it."

Santana took that as her cue to swipe her pillow and _thwacked _Rachel across the face. "There, I win."

Quinn and Lauren laughed, and Rachel went back to silent state.

"To clear the air, I don't trust you bitches. But I have been lacking on good gossip every since Brittany decided that her cat didn't like reading about it in her diary." Santana lifted a finger, trying to make her point. "So, I'll start. I know you're a virgin, Rachel."

Rachel's face screwed up into an unmentionable form.

"I guess removing the rumor of Finn's success should be dismissed. And Jesse never got past second base either. Is it really that obvious though?"

Santana snorted, Lauren uncomfortably coughed and Quinn perked her lips together and nodded.

"Huh."

"I lost it in eight grade, if that makes it better. Azimo, not Puck, you know." Santana shrugged, and tried to help her petite tent mate. "Horribly done. He's got the smallest dick."

Quinn was the only one who didn't giggle. "He leaned against me once. I thought it was average."

"Fake." Santana stated, and made a movement to straighten Quinn's short, blonde locks. "Stuffs it."

All four girls let out a loud, simultaneous laugh.

Across the site, a chorused chant erupted. "Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it! - Oh fuck! Stop it!"

The sun was finally set, and the only light that was brightening the tents were the stars. Quinn pushed on her lamp, which gave an illuminating light. The boys were having fun, as far as they could tell. As were the other girls, who were now belting out Girls Just Want to Have Fun.

"We all know what happen to Fabray." Lauren tossed her head in Quinn's direction, who was finishing her first cooler. "But I'm not a virgin. A wrestler from across town last summer took it. It was nice."

"Same guy who you left Puck for?" Rachel questioned for the other girls, who were all thinking the same thing. "Is he cute?"

"Fucking hot, yes. But he's not the reason Puckerman and I broke up." Lauren suddenly looked very busy with the iPod, avoiding the confused faces.

Santana, Quinn and Rachel were visibly interested.

"Come on, this might be the best piece of gossip I get all night." Santana turned so she could start on Rachel's hair. Rachel hesitated at first, but decided that Santana wouldn't risk burning off her face with so many witnesses.

"We've all dated Puck, right?" Lauren bit her tongue, and rolled her eyes at Santana who chuckled lightly. "Well, if you count fun fucks as dating."

"Tell us why! We're you're friends, Lauren." Quinn slowly said, reassuringly.

"What happens in the tent, stays in the tent." Rachel swayed with the music, not really caring as to why the odd couple had broken up. It didn't involve her in any way, besides the fact that Noah and her were becoming quite close now.

"You all think that's why we broke up? That I couldn't say no to my first flame?" The wind outside the tent had picked up, carrying the voices from the other tents. Zippers could be heard, making their way down the tracks. The boys were escaping. "Because the real reason is you, Rachel."

A blush spread across Rachel's entire body, and she backed away from Santana, who dropped the straightener. Their faces matched an expression of '_what the fuck_,' '_bitch, I knew that_,' and '_holy tits_.'

Lauren openly stared at Rachel, but, thankfully, in a non menacing way.

"Me?" It was chocked. "I swear. Lauren, I never did anything to encourage Noah. I never made a move on him. We're friends, that's all."

"It wasn't you, Rachel. It was your kissing techniques." Lauren muttered happily, as Rachel and Santana's face changed to match a different expression. Shock. "We were making out, and I guess I was feeling adventurous."

"Berry, you've got a move? What in God's name is your move?" Quinn uttered breathlessly. She couldn't believe what the world was coming to.

Rachel couldn't act her way out of this, she was projecting pure innocence.

"I bit his lower lip, then traced my tongue along his teeth. It was sensual, but he, uh, really ruined it. "Lauren sighed loudly, and lowered her voice to be sure no one outside the tent could hear. "He said your name."

"Oh shit." Quinn and Santana cried dramatically, though both thoroughly impressed by Lauren's story. Rachel held her hand over her mouth, as if disgusted with herself.

"That's no reason to break up! I mean, he could have said something else. If you think about it, tons of people…uh, well, there's always the chance that, um….or maybe-" Rachel stuttered hopelessly in distress. Her nonexistent excuses fell empty.

"It was clear as day. _Rachel_. It wasn't spur of the moment, Berry. I could tell he wanted you. Fuck, he probably _needs _you." Lauren gave a small smile, forgiving the insane girl who was rocking back and forth trying to think. "Its okay."

Santana couldn't help but clap with excitement. "I've got to tell Brittany!"

Quinn suddenly spat out her wine cooler, and had a depressed smile.

"He did the same to me." Quinn leaned back, he eyes widening. "Shit! He did the same to me. It was after you dated him, Rach. We were fooling around and - oh God damn! I think I heard what I wanted to hear. But now…now it sounds so clear. All those times it was almost unheard, I changed it. He's always needed you."

Lauren looked somewhat relieved, while Santana looked like the world just threw up on her.

"Oh my fuck. I can not fucking believe this. He is such a fucktard. Playing it off as - oh my fuck. This is fucking great. I bet he pictured you instead of fucking me. This is fucking ridiculous." Santana raged for only a few moments, before nodding in Rachel's direction. "I'm happy for you though."

As simply as she could, Rachel stated how she felt.

"I'm going to die."

"You can do that after you speak to him." Quinn gave a scheming grin of power and motioned for Lauren to open the tent's door.

"I can't do that!" Rachel squealed a little bit louder than necessary, processing her fear. "First of all, we're not supposed to leave the tent."

"Says the girl who brought the booze." Santana smirked, and finished her wine cooler.

Grimacing, Rachel continued. "Secondly, what if he's changed his mind? For all we know, there is another Rachel…or it was a reflex! For example, whenever I see Blaine, I automatically think of Harry Potter. Its _uncanny_ and _unnatural_."

"There's nothing unnatural about you and Puck. He spent a long time trying to convince all of us that." Quinn snipped and popped the lid off o her next wine cooler.

"Besides, Puck's reflexes are _amazing. _Hence…" Santana shrugged playfully and gave a sharp witted giggle.

"How about this?" Rachel prepared her final debatable resolution. "I'm not supposed to know about the Rachel-reflex. None of us are. It could kill him."

"Just pretend you're his doctor." Santana said obviously irritated. "They take that little hammer and whack at our knees and whatever. Just say you're testing his reflexes. Then-" Santana hushed for full effect. "-**BAM**! Rachel-reflex. Done."

The three girls started to shout out different ideas, including a skit which include a nurse outfit and an x-ray machine. Rachel couldn't handle the madness.

"Hold on! Hold on! You want me make out with Puck to check your theory? That's it?" Rachel huffed out unpleasantly, and crossed her arms. "That seems childish."

"And to give us a little Puckleberry. Its been long over due." Santana added to the results of their plan.

"That sums it up." Lauren pushed her glasses up her face, and sniffed slightly. "Smells like the perfect opportunity has arisen."

"Campfire. Seems like Finn has put his boy scout traits to good use." Quinn was first to stand up and step out of the tent. Each girl were in their pajamas, but no one cared. It was almost summer, and they were family. Quinn grabbed the remaining wine coolers to bring to the stash that was sure to be building up outside. "I'll see you losers out there."

Lauren followed next, taking the generator and iPod with her. She saluted Rachel and Santana, and shouted a cheer of welcome to the gathering group.

"We're not friends." Santana began to talk, and scrunched her knees to her chest. "Far from it, actually. Maybe one day we could be, but as of right now, I'd like to give advice as a sort-of-friend."

"And what are your words of wisdom?" Rachel sarcastically answered, standing up and pulling Santana alongside her.

"Don't tell the bitch I told you this, but Lauren's right. All those times. All those girls. It doesn't matter. He _needs_ you."

Rachel muttered a thank you and hugged her sort-of-friend.

"But hey! If you two don't work out, I'd love to check my Rachel-reflex."

**AN: review. **


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